Road works are happening right around Ballarat, including upgrades to high-risk intersections along Sturt Street.
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Pre-construction work is being undertaken at the intersections of Sturt Street and Raglan and Ascot Streets, with the installation of traffic lights to begin there this week.
The traffic lights are being installed to improve safety at the two intersections, where 33 crashes occurred resulting in 58 people sustaining serious injuries between 2008 and 2018.
Regional Roads Victoria (RRV) said the installation of the traffic lights would take up to 18 weeks.
It is part of upgrades to six intersections along Sturt Street - at Talbot, Errard, Lyons and Windermere Streets. Works will begin at these intersections in 2020.
It comes as RRV continues to review community feedback regarding the proposed shared user path in the CBD.
Meanwhile, the stage one works at Mair Street are also currently under way.
With an average of 15,000 vehicles estimated to travel along Mair Street each day, which is projected to triple to 45,000 in line with Ballarat's growth towards 200,000 by 2040, the upgrades aim to reduce congestion and upgrade safety.
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While the intersection at Humffray Street has been completed, the construction of two additional lanes between Davies Street and Humffray Street, as well as a central median strip between Humffray and Princes Streets are in progress.
The works between Humffray and Princes streets are on track to finish within the six-week time frame, meaning they will conclude prior to December 1.
Meanwhile, the works between Humffray and Davies streets are expected to take 14 weeks to complete and will pause between December 1 and January 12 to avoid impacting Christmas trade.
The project will also include upgrades to pedestrian crossings and intersections, bike lanes and creating additional turning lanes.
Though dozens of car parks were originally slated to be removed, RRV has worked with Mair Street businesses to minimise the impacts on parking.
A RRV spokesperson said through this consultation process, it has been able to ensure around 90 per cent of existing formal car parks between Humffray and Princes Streets will be retained.
Michael Bailey, Regional Director (Western) of Regional Roads Victoria said the safety improvements would make travelling along Sturt Street safer for the thousands of people who use it each day, whether they are drivers, cyclists or pedestrians.
Minister for Roads, Road Safety and the TAC Jaala Pulford said the upgrades were about increasing safety across Ballarat.
"These upgrades are all about boosting safety for kids riding to school, mums and dads pushing their prams and the thousands of drivers that rely on these roads everyday," Ms Pulford said.
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